When Light Fades
by Tsukino Akume
Summary: The fight against the Dark Rangers took a horrible turn, and war broke out. A look into a universe where the good guys lost a long time ago...
1. Tanya's Dance

Disclaimer: Saban/Toei/Disney would not put this in the series, I guarantee it. ...Well, maybe Toei.

This is part of a challenge to myself, and partly Weesta's fault. I was re-reading reviews and found her comment on how I'd scared her with the thought of Rocky as a Dark Ranger. So I started to wonder what **would** have happened if he'd turned evil. Then I read _Long Hard Road_ by Twig (**Excellent** story; one of the best I have **EVER** read. Seriously-go find her. http/www.eukaryotic. And read _Whisper_, too. Both totally rock.) and realized that I completely suck at writing battle scenes. So I decided to give myself a writing exercise to try and write a believable, understandable battle scene, and make it from the point of view of a character that I don't think I write very well.

That's not what came out.

This takes place from the original _Fade to Darkness_ plotline, but does have elements of what I'm working on in the rewrite, _Fade to Darkness: Darkness Calling_. Hopefully, no one will be too confused. If you are, I'm about halfway through the rewrite and I should be able to post it soon, so just hang on. Or if you like spoilers, feel free to pester me with questions.

Tanya's Dance was actually the last chapter I wrote, which is why the mood is a little different. But somehow, I think I like this one and Adam's Fate the best. Even if everyone's **horribly** out of character. My only excuse is that these are people who have gone through **years** of war and hardship; no one can be the same after that.

Violence, character death, mentions of rape, and dark topics ahead. Several people will kill me for this, particularly Weesta. You are warned. Please let me know what you think on this one; I'm curious to know how it's received. I don't know if I'll write more chapters for other characters yet, but I'm open to requests.

Enjoy! I think...

Tanya's Dance

She wasn't a dancer. She was a singer, and being able to follow a melody vocally wasn't the same as moving to it with her body. But she had learned. She wasn't the most graceful, but she could still dance fairly well.

Kat had been the dancer, of course. Her best friend had a natural grace that was unparalleled. Not that she would ever agree herself. Kat was humble and self-sacrificing.

She was also dead, as of two years ago today.

When the war against the Dark Rangers began, everyone had found themselves teaming up. Jason, Zack, Trini, Billy, Kimberly, and Tommy were the original Earth team, they were Team Bonded. Rocky, Adam, and Aisha were best friends, they belonged together. The Astro Rangers had been fighting together for months, they knew how each other worked. She and Kat didn't really have a team, so they became each other's team. Partners.

They'd fought together, cried together, and been there for each other through everything. When they had learned Kat was pregnant, she'd been with her for the morning sickness, the cravings, the pains, the first kick. She'd delivered her baby for her, had been the one to put the squirming, squalling little red thing in her arms. When Kat fell sick, she stayed by her side to nurse her back to health.

Only she hadn't. Kat had slowly, quietly, gently, slipped away from them. She'd breathed her last not even an hour after telling her friends to go get some sleep; she wasn't going anywhere.

Tears welled in her eyes, and the dance became faster. Liar. She'd even smiled as she died, so that her final expression was peaceful.

Now she didn't have a partner. She had a team, but only because they wanted her to be with them. She'd tried to take care of Garrett for Kat and Hyo. But she wasn't a mother. She could be nurturing when she tried, but she didn't have the natural, gentle and loving way with children that Kat had.

It didn't help that every time she looked at Garrett all she could see was his mother's face, his mother's golden blond hair, his mother's smile.

"Behind you!"

She wasn't sure if it was a call to her or not, so she spun anyway. It was, and she swiftly struck out with her left hand, swung her right arm up and over, followed by a quick knee jerk. The Pirranatron went down hard, and she turned with a high kick to strike the next. Spin, duck, kick, fist, fist, and spin again. Not the most graceful dance, not as graceful as Kat would have made it, but it still served its purpose.

In the distance she could make out the Green Silver Star Ranger struggling against a group that had ambushed her all at once. She pulled her blaster and shot several shots in quick succession. All made their mark-she'd become a crack shot out of necessity more than anything. Before, she would have called "Zeo Blaster, Fire!" or something like that. But there was no reason for fanfare in war.

Green Silver Star didn't thank her, just took out the remaining opponents before moving on. She wasn't insulted; there wasn't time for it. They'd all forgotten the normal pleasantries over the last few years. Not that it mattered. It was more important to stay alive.

At least, that's what they told her when Kat died.

She still wondered about that sometimes, she mused as she sent a hard chop to the throat of one of her enemies. She had lost her best friend, her leader-Jason was wonderful, but Tommy had always been the leader to her and always would be. Her teammates: Adam and Rocky were the only real team she'd ever served with. The little boy she'd been trying to save had gone with Astronema; any signs of compassion in Zeus had vanished the day Andros had told them-in tears-that Astronema was gone. Apparently Astronema was the long-lost sister he'd been secretly searching for all along. Rocky was as good as dead. Whatever Diablo was through his cruelty and manical laughter, that wasn't Rocky. And Acheron wasn't Adam; that blank, vague gaze as he followed Diablo's orders couldn't belong to the kind eyes of her friend. Aisha, a friend she hadn't known as well as she would have liked but a friend none the less, had spent her last moments begging for Adam to remember her just as a Z-putty decapitated her from behind.

She couldn't see Acheron's face through his helmet, but she could have sworn she saw him tremble when Aisha fell. And his heart...

She wasn't Team Bonded, or Soul Bonded, or any of that to him. But they both used what had been salvaged of the Zeo Crystals from the Turbo Morphers. She didn't know what had happened to the Red Crystal, and Blue was part of what made up Zeus' Turbo Morpher, but they'd taken Yellow, Pink and Green from the other three. The Pink Crystal had been given to Garrett when his mother died, Yellow was the only defense she had, and Green was Acheron's Power. But sharing the same Power as him had given them a connection of some sort. She knew when he was going to appear, and she could faintly feel his remorse when he saw a Ranger fall. She could also sense the feelings Diablo produced in him.

The first time she'd gotten it, she'd nearly doubled over from the intensity. Such hatred, such a desire to destroy him! That wasn't Adam, wasn't her sweet, gentle, caring friend! And at the same time, a love so deep it made her want to cry, coupled with an overpowering sense of self-hatred.

Then his helmet moved to look in her direction, and she knew the moment their eyes met. She knew that he could sense the connection, too. The Zeo Crystals, even broken and shattered, were supposed to work together, after all. And she knew that he understood what she had known then. And to her dispair, he had shaken his head slightly, and moved to stand at Diablo's side.

She didn't think the tears would ever stop that night.

Her new friends, made during the war, were few and falling by the day. Zhane and Rosemarie had been gone for almost four years now. Hyo was right after Kat; Zack had called it a 'Battle Sacrifice'. Cassie shot herself in the head with a blaster less than a week after they'd lost Carlos. Andros was a year later, but he hadn't gone out alone; he'd blown up the Dark Fortress and taken out one of the most important resources the Dark Rangers had. Aurora...

She closed her eyes, even as she swung her club hard into the Pirranatron's stomach. She'd only just begun to get to know the Swordsworn Rangers. Aurora was so kind and funny in her own way, if a bit airheaded at times. Her Sword of Shadows was being corrrupted by the Dark Forces, she'd told her. The next morning she found her slumped over on the floor, a simple, ordinary dagger sticking out of her side after she'd gutted herself. Nisha, fiery, fierce, protective Nisha, had been devastated. She hadn't said a word when they told her; she just took Aurora's body planetside and burned it to ashes. Then she'd left for the front lines of Earth and never came back.

She shouldn't have closed her eyes, she realized suddenly as she demorphed.

She imagined it would have hurt to hit the ground face-first, but the pain in her back was downing it out. An experimental move to stand let her know that her back had broken. It hurt; oh lord, did it hurt. There was a sound, and she wondered if it was her own screaming. She wasn't really sure.

A shadow stood over her. She expected to feel the killing blow; instead the shadow sat beside her, gently lifting her head into his lap. The pain didn't fade, but she gasped for breath as the warm desert air hit her face. "Vengi..." It was a sob, a whimper, and a noise of agony all at once.

He hushed her, leaning down to kiss her gently. She whimpered again into that kiss, in too much pain to actually kiss him back. She wanted to, but all she could think about was the pain.

"I...I'm a coward." she whispered when he moved away. "I just...I want...to go home..."

"There is no such thing as a coward in war, Tanya." he murmured, brushing the sweat-soaked hair from her eyes. "You are a woman of honor and integrity, and I am blessed to know you."

She managed to turn her eyes upward, staring at his face. "Please..." she begged softly. "Make it stop hurting..."

He kissed her again. "I will." he promised, his eyes suddenly pained. "I will make it stop, for you."

She tried to smile, tried to be as brave as Kat had been in the face of her pain, knowing that she was about to die. "I...love you." she gasped.

"I love you." he returned warmly, taking his blaster from its holster and raising it to her temple.

It was Litania who turned from her opponent at the sound of blaster fire, just in time to see Tanya's body go slack in Vengi's lap. Her eyes widened beneath her helmet as he raised the same blaster to his own head. "**No**!" she screamed.

The sound of the blaster echoed through the air as the battle seemed to stop around her, and her friend, her brother, her protector, fell forward over his lover. A girl who had died lightyears away from her home planet, in a hot desert for people she wasn't responsible for protecting. Two warriors who fought when they should never have had to, on behalf of others who would never understand their sacrifice, against an enemy who would only rejoice in their death.

Her scream of loss echoed over the battlefield for only a moment, but those present would hear it for eternity.


	2. Zack's Thoughts

Zack's Thoughts

Man, he was tired. When was the last time he slept? He tried to think, decided that if it took that much effort it didn't really matter, and leaned back against the wall behind him. He didn't know why they even bothered with guard duty anymore. The Dark Rangers knew where they were. If they wanted to attack, they'd all be destroyed anyway.

He rolled his eyes as the Power sensored his thoughts. Who really cared if they swore? There were people younger than him with fouler mouths fighting on the front lines of-what planet was he on again? He sighed, deciding it didn't matter. Nothing mattered much anymore.

All he could remember was that their last 'orders' were to investigate some fabled creator of the Astro Morphers. That had been a bust, to put it mildly. The old guy had been taken out by the Dark Rangers years ago, along with all his supplies and equipment. There wasn't so much as a scrap of food left in his kitchen.

He glanced down at his uniform as the fire light shimmered across it. He couldn't remember the last time he'd demorphed. He couldn't remember what it felt like to wear something other than spandex. Surprising the Power hadn't given out on him yet, like it had for so many others. The Aquitian Morphers weren't all that strong to begin with after they'd lost the first team. And with Billy gone...

He swallowed, biting the inside of his cheek as the pain welled up inside of him again. It wasn't anything new, he reminded himself harshly. Billy had been gone for months now. It was only the Morpher complaining about being short a team member. But it had been a silent, mutual decision between them that they would not offer the Blue Aquitian Morpher again.

He was thirsty, darn it. He scowled. Stupid Morpher. Apparently part of the Aquitian Power required a lot of water. Not exactly something they had in great supply, either.

His head jerked up at the sound of footsteps, hand reaching automatically for his weapon.

"Zack."

"Who do you fight for?" he snapped back. There was never any true assurances that the one he was looking at was really the person he thought it was, not anymore. Not since Res-Resina-whatever the heck the new Dark White's name was had showed up. Freaking shape-shifters.

"For the Dino Rangers." came the soft reply.

He relaxed slightly. "Trini." he acknowledged.

She silently held out a container of water for him. He took it with a quite murmur of thanks, trying not to guzzle it all in one drink. Stupid Morpher.

He lowered it at last, looking at her for a long moment. Trini, like so many others, was not the same person he'd known so long ago. Physically, she was on a string of nerves so tight she looked about ready to snap at any moment. Her face had a dark, hollowed out look to it, emphasized by the circles under her eyes. Like him she wore an Aquitian Ranger uniform, in Yellow, though she'd apparently forgotten her helmet somewhere. Her hair was another casualty of war, once long and shining, now cropped close and dull after too many incidences of being nearly ripped out of her skull. Her eyes were blank and unseeing, as they had remained ever since the day she was gased while trying to rescue a group of civilians.

They'd all been changed by the war. Jason was a shadow of his former self. Now one of the leaders of The Rebellion, his mind was never truly on the person he was talking to; too busy with plans and strategies. His face was set with worry lines that made him look older than he actually was, and his eyes... His eyes were like staring into purgatory. They'd all known that Jason and Tommy were close, but no one had really understood just how close until Tommy was gone. A part of Jason went with him, and every time Zack tried to look his friend in the eyes he'd been reminded by that lost, searching expression.

He'd stopped trying to meet his eyes directly years ago.

God, was he really only twenty-five? They'd all become far too thin; stress and lack of nutrition tended to do that to a person. Even Delphine, while he hadn't exactly known her well before this nightmare had started, was constantly quiet, speaking only in a soft murmur when it was necessary. Her voice, like her thin body, was dry and hoarse from not getting the amount of water she needed. As for himself... He didn't exactly get a whole lot of chances to look in a mirror these days, but he could feel the weakness in his body, see how bony his hands had become. There were far more scars than he would ever be able to count, and he couldn't remember where half of them had come from. But then, that was another condition they all suffered from, he reminded himself absently as he looked at the long scar maring Trini's cheek. When had that one happened?

"You're staring at me."

He shrugged, belatedly remembering she wouldn't see it. "Thinking."

Her face softened slightly in understanding. "About the others?"

He looked away. "Yeah."

It was over five years since they'd lost Tommy at the beginning of the war, nearly a year now since Kim. Zeus had finally managed to get the revenge he'd always been going on about, or at least that was what they assumed had happened. All anyone knew was that Tommy had gone alone to face Zeus, for reasons he'd never quite explained. He never came back, and Zeus was more than happy to tell them why. No one had questioned it; they all felt the loss. There were no words to describe what losing Tommy had done to Kimberly. They'd all been amazed at how long she'd lasted without him, having expected her to follow almost immediately. Instead she'd fought on with a ferocity no one had imagined she could have. She had won battles for them that should have been impossible, made rescues without a single casualty. When the civilians began to join what had become labled as 'The Rebellion', Kimberly was the reason behind many of them. It had been both fascinating and horrifying to see what had become of someone had once been a sweet, bubbly, airheaded young girl. She had gone out fighting, and while she hadn't made it out of the battle, neither had the Dark White Ranger she'd been against. Billy's attack had been only a few months ago, still new enough to hurt. He had been found in a pool of blood with Scorpina leaning over him. She had gotten away, and the new Aquitian Rangers had been left mourning yet another team member.

He didn't know how Delphine had managed to keep going after her team had been lost, let alone offer the Morphers to Jason, Trini, Billy, and him. He hadn't asked, and no one else was insensitive enough to when they could all see the haunted look in her eyes. He had accepted the Morpher knowing it was probably the only chance of fighting back he had, the only way to avenge Tommy and Kimberly. To get the revenge for his parents Hawk deserved.

He still couldn't understand just what Kim had been **on** when she'd named her son 'Hawking'.

There weren't many of them left now. Zhane, Cassie, Rosemarie, and Kat had all been casualties of the growing Darkness. Cassie had destroyed herself, while the other three had been eaten alive by the forces of evil. He didn't quite understand it; all he knew was that Billy had told them all without enough Light left in the universe, the Darkness was overpowering them. It was similar to what had happened to Aurora from what they knew. The Darkness was being channeled through her Sword of Shadows, and she had sacrificed herself before she could be turned. Nisha had been devastated, and commited what they'd come to call a 'Battle Sacrifice'. It was when someone went into battle without any intention of coming out. They'd all been startled by that one; no one even knew she and Aurora were together. Ko-lin and Hyo had gone out the same way. Tanya and Vengi had gone together in one of the greater battles they'd fought, and Luc had fallen a few years later. Aisha...

He closed his eyes, swallowing back another wave of grief. Aisha had been driven insane by what had happened to Rocky and Adam. She died in battle, but no one ever really knew if it had been a Battle Sacrifice or not. By that point she hadn't been in her right mind for a long time.

As for the other two... Rocky had taken a blow for Adam that they had all believed killed him. Zeus and Astronema had stolen the body before they could even properly grieve, only to find him standing with the Dark Rangers the next time they fought. He'd called himself Diablo, and claimed that he was the new Dark Red Ranger. Barely a week later, he'd taken Adam from them. There was no way of knowing what had actually happened, but Adam had the mental capacity of a turnip now. He fought when Diablo told him to, stopped when he was ordered, and showed no other signs of intelligence. He'd become the Dark Green Ranger after they'd taken out Rita.

He shook his head. The Dark Rangers' roster changed almost monthly. Zedd, Rita, and Tearrah were long gone. Apparently Demoness had suffered from the same problem as the rest of the empaths, and had destroyed herself because of the overflow of dark emotions. Ironically Astronema had been destroyed by the same Morpher she'd stolen from Zhane; Light couldn't serve on the side of Darkness. Served her right, as far as he was concerned. The Dark White Ranger changed frequently; he couldn't even remember who it was now. He didn't much care, either. What was the point in trying to remember when they'd be destroyed by one side or the other in a matter of months? Zeus' temper was half the reason behind the casualty rates.

He opened an eye to reguard Trini. She didn't usually stand around and try to make conversation anymore. If she wasn't fighting, she just seemed to stare off into space.

He winced instinctively at the thought. Yeah, that wasn't rude.

"What's up?" he asked casually. "Trying to figure out a new way to make the rations edible?"

It was an old argument between them. He insisted they weren't food, and there was no way they would ever **become** food. Trini believed there had to be some way to make them taste good. He always argued that it was a lost cause, but it had become one of the few constants they had left. Even if he couldn't find any reason to laugh anymore, he wouldn't stop giving his friends his jokes. He wouldn't stop trying for them.

She shrugged slightly. "Just doing some thinking myself, I suppose." There was a long pause. "Why do you fight, Zack?"

He straightened, staring at her with more than a little concern. "You're not thinking about-"

She sighed and shook her head, a bit of the old amused annoyance showing on her face. "I'm not thinking about Battle Sacrifice. I was just...wondering why we still try." She turned away, rubbing her arms self-consciously.

He was silent for a long moment. It wasn't as though he didn't think the same thing himself more often than he should. There were times he remembered what Pahla had told them, about how Rangers didn't have an afterlife. Instead they were assimilated into the Grid, where they became part of the Power to help the Rangers that came after them. Just knowing that, knowing that he would never be able to stop fighting, never find peace, was enough to make him wish he'd never stayed with the others the day that they'd met Zordon and Alpha. That he'd never agreed to become a Ranger more so that he wouldn't be alone than anything else. There were times he even hated Zordon for giving him this life.

"For Tommy." he said at last. "For Kim. Aisha, Kat, all the friends we've lost. Hawk, Garrett, Marinda. For the kids that will never get the chance to know their parents. For people who deserve a life where they don't live in fear. That's why we fight."

She looked up at him now, her blank eyes still somehow seeming to peer into his. "But why do **you** fight, Zack? What are you fighting for?"

He stared back. There was so many things he could say. So many fancy, pretty speeches about never giving up and always fighting for the greater good. About honor and sacrifice. In the end, all that came out was "I don't know." He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall behind him again and closing his eyes. "I don't know anymore."

His stomach hurt suddenly.

He was falling. Looking up, he saw Trini grin, shimmering for a moment as she transformed into the Dark White Ranger. "Then let me help you give up, Black Ranger." he sneered.

It was cold.

Zack stared up at the ceiling of the cave, listening distantly to the sounds of the footsteps fading away. Somewhere there was a muffled cry, followed by a shout. He was having trouble hearing it.

His hands were sticky. He didn't bother to lift them to see why. It didn't much matter. The pain was already gone anyway.

The corners of his vision were beginning to blacken. He waited for his life to flash before his eyes. Instead, all he saw was a single image, filling what remained of his consciousness.

It had been just after a battle, back in the old days. They were all laughing together in the Youth Center at something or another. Jason, looking so calm and sure of himself. Trini's eyes sparkling with happiness as she brushed that long, beautiful hair away from her face. Billy looking somewhat sheepish and embarassed as he pushed his glasses up on his nose, as though he shouldn't really be laughing. Kimberly giggling, hands pressed together over her mouth. Tommy, so shy and yet so happy to be there, his grin lighting up his entire face.

_I fight to remember those smiles,_ he thought dimly as the blackness crept closer. _I fight for the friends who became my family, and the love I don't want to forget..._


	3. TJ's Grief

For explainations on the Ninjetti Rangers, see the end of this chapter. Also, no one has missed Nathan or Chrin; they're from _Fade to Darkness: Darkness Calling_, and I haven't gotten to them yet.

Also, I always thought the name for the Lost Galaxy Rangers was stupid, excluding the season title. They use Quasar Sabres, and they weren't even **in** the lost galaxy until halfway through the series. So I'm calling them Quasar Rangers.

T.J.'s Grief

His eyes hurt from too many hours of staring at tactical maps. Amazing to think paper could create the urge to actually rip the eyeballs from his head. Absently he found himself missing D.E.C.A.'s calm, occasionally sarcastic input. Losing the Astro Megaship had been more than a loss for the Light side, but for the Astro Rangers themselves. They never knew how much a part of their lives she was until she wasn't there anymore.

He rubbed at his aching eyes, wincing. Thinking about D.E.C.A.? He **must** be tired. He hadn't thought about her in...how long ago was she shot down? Eight, nine months ago?

"Here."

He barely glanced up as Ashley set a cup of coffee beside him. "Thanks." he murmured absently.

There was a long moment of silence, then a sigh. "If you're not going to bed, you could actually try drinking it, you know."

He rolled his eyes as he reached for the cup, then paused as he stared skeptically at its contents. "Where'd you get it?"

"Heryl made it from what's left of the supplies. Don't worry, it's Lynest, not Kerovian." Annoyance colored the tone of her voice. "I'm not trying to kill you."

He silently gave a prayer of thanks as he took a sip. Not that Lynest was much better, but at least it wasn't Kerovian. Kerovian coffee could easily be used as a substitute for engine oil. He'd been disturbed to find out much later that Chrin hadn't been joking when he'd told them that. Then again, it was hard to be picky anymore. It **was** liquid after all. Sort of.

"Looking over bases?"

"Updating." he answered distractedly. "There were new reports this morning, so I've been trying to adjust the maps."

He watched her stare at the map he was working on, surveying how many marks he'd had to black out. Unlike him she had actually demorphed for awhile, dressed in the dingy, tattered uniform the civilians wore. She was thin, too thin, but considering the lack of supplies they had these days, it couldn't be helped. She was probably giving most of her share to Marinda, to make sure she wasn't underfed like the rest of them.

But then, Marinda was the reason behind a lot of things Ashley did now. She was the reason she hadn't followed Andros into the Grid when he'd fallen in battle. She was the reason that unlike most of The Rebellion, Ashley refused to just cut her hair instead of trying to tie it up everyday. She was the reason Ashley forced herself to smile everytime the little girl was in the room, even if it never truly reached her eyes. She was the reason Ashley refused to admit what everyone else had realized long ago: they were fighting a losing battle.

"Marinda asleep?" he asked at last.

She nodded, frowning at the map. "Yeah, I put her down a couple hours ago. Saes is gone?"

He sighed, nodding. "Last week. No one even knew until a few days ago."

"Coms are faultering all over the place." a new voice commented. They both looked up as Rael joined them. The Kerovian was still as calm and unaffected as ever as she tossed her blond bangs out of her eyes and back with the rest of her cropped brown hair. She was still morphed as well, and even now it hurt to see her in the Black Astro uniform. She set her helmet down on the table, leaning over to cast a quick glance at the map. "Nickolas and Chrin have been trying to set up something to stop them from jamming our frequencies, but they haven't gotten anywhere yet."

"Anymore news?" he asked wearily.

She shrugged slightly. "The Aquitian Rangers are still on Hvaenal. No word back yet, but that could mean anything."

"They're fine." Ashley spoke up, her voice insistent.

He and Rael exchanged glances. While they understood Ashley's forced optimism, it wasn't necessary when it was only the three of them. They were all too realistic for that.

"Ash..." he said slowly. "You know...we haven't heard from them for over a month. Even with the coms acting up-"

"That doesn't mean anything." she interrupted, glaring at him. "They're **fine**. They're one of the strongest teams we have."

Though she didn't say it, the word 'left' echoed through all their minds.

"They **were** one of the strongest teams we have." Rael told her. Rael, unlike Ashley, was realistic to the point of pessimism. "They were already weakened when Kimberly was destroyed. When Billy was attacked, it shattered their full team. You know they won't find a new Blue."

He nodded reluctantly in agreement. When Delphine had been the only remaining Aquitian Ranger, she had still offered the other four Morphers she had to Jason, Zack, Trini, and Billy to give them a new team. While they had never said anything, everyone had noticed that no one had offered the Blue Aquitian Morpher again. It seemed that losing another team member had finally been enough for them all. "She's right, Ash."

She stared at him, tears beginning to shine in her eyes. "Then what do you want me to say, T.J.?" she demanded. "Do you want me to tell my daughter that she lost her father for nothing? That she'll never have the chance for a life of peace? Is that what you what!" She ran from the room before he could think of anything to say, shoulders shaking.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"She shouldn't force herself to be so optimistic." Rael said at last. "Marinda isn't stupid. She and the other children play in full view of the camp. They see what's happening every day."

"That doesn't mean we need to encourage it." he shot back, his tone sharper than he'd intended. He knew she was right, but he couldn't bring himself to agree aloud. There weren't exactly many innocents left these days. To see Ashley's four year old daughter lose that bright smile would hurt. Just as it had hurt when they'd managed to repair Chrin and been forced to tell him they hadn't found the rest of his team, only to watch as that cheerful innocence he'd always had was gone forever. The same way it had hurt to see that light die in Yasta's eyes the day they found her mourning over Carlos' body.

When he finally look up, Rael was staring at him. "I'll be doing inventory if you need me." she said shortly. She stalked out much the same way Ashley had, but with shoulders tensed in anger.

He closed his eyes again, pinching his temples. Distantly, he could remember how jealous he'd been when he first became the Blue Astro Ranger and Andros had taken over leadership of the team. He'd felt like it was a silent accusation that he hadn't been a good enough leader, and now he was being replaced because of his mistakes.

"You can have it back now, Andros." he whispered. A wave of grief swept over him. "Please, take it back."

Of course there was no answer. The dead couldn't speak to him, after all. He wasn't a White.

So many losses over the years... There were no more Pink or Silver Rangers. Anywhere. The empathic Pinks had all destroyed themselves when the Dark Rangers had finally made the rest of the universe realize they weren't going away, and they weren't being stopped. He could still remember finding Cassie's body with the laser pistol still in her hand near the burned temple, could still hear Ashley screaming her denial for hours on end. The rise in Dark energy had slowly destroyed all the Silvers. Zhane, Rosemarie, and finally Kat had all died slowly, each one still trying to smile for the remaining Light Rangers at the end.

Andros had fallen in battle as a hero, taking out the Dark Fortress mere hours before Ashley had found out she was pregnant with his child. Carlos had been the same, taking Yasta's innocence and bright smiles with him. Ko-lin had joined them soon after, and while he had no proof, he was fairly certain it was something she could have prevented if she cared anymore. He'd protected Ashley and Marinda the best he could on his own, and Rael had joined them when they found her fleeing the destruction of KO-35 as its only survivor. Another secret Andros had apparently 'forgotten' to tell them: she was the Black Astro Ranger before Andros had taken the Morphers and left for space on his own. None of them had been able to bring themselves to give the Red Astro Morpher to anyone else, and to offer Pink or Silver would be giving someone up as a sacrifice.

He sighed once more and headed out, leaving the maps behind. He needed something in his stomach. Not that he'd call the rations they ate food, but it was something.

He found his gaze sweeping through the camp automatically as he walked, out of habit more than anything. People were everywhere, working on weapons, trying to stay warm, slowly munching on food that was far beyond out of date. The atmosphere was anything but cheerful as a deep, dark gloom seemed to have settled over them all. No one had any hope to win this war. That had died a long time ago.

"Get back here!"

He spun instinctively, a hand starting to draw his Astro Blaster.

The Green Ninjetti Ranger sprinted past-Hunter, that was his name. He was chasing after the Red one, Leo, by the looks of it. He shook his head as he forced himself to relax. He couldn't imagine having that much energy anymore. The Ninjetti hadn't been part of the war long enough yet to feel as worn out as the rest of them did. They'd only been Chosen roughly a year and a half ago, and eventually discovered on Phaedos. They had really only been with The Rebellion for a few months.

A girl ran up to him, her expression anxious. Black Ninjetti. Carrie...Kari...Kira! That was it. She tossed up a half-hearted salute, a habit she'd probably picked up from the civilians. He hated when they did that. "Did you see-"

"They ran that way." he interrupted, pointing.

"Thanks, Sir." She was gone before he could blink.

Man, he missed that energy...

The Blue, Yellow, and Purple Ninjetti were heading towards him now. Wordlessly he pointed as he tried to remember their names. Kirk, Kev, Kai...Kai. May? And the one always following her around. Kelly, or something. Kendrix? No, that had been the Pink one. She was long gone now, poor thing. Hadn't even realized what she was getting herself into.

"Sorry about that, Sir. They didn't run you over or anything, did they?"

He turned to the appologetic voice, frowning at his salute. "Stop that, Mike. You know I hate it."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Sir." The tone implied reminding him not to call him 'Sir' was a lost cause.

"So what happened this time?" He nodded after the rest of the rapidly disappearing Ninjetti.

Mike rolled his eyes. "Leo and Hunter were arguing about who could best the other, and Leo told him his 'little hide-and-seek ninja skills' wouldn't save him. Hunter tried to pin him, and Leo ran for it. Kira's trying to calm Hunter down, and Kai, Maya, and Kelsey just want to see who'll win."

Maya and Kelsey, that was it. They were practically attached at the hip. The fight wasn't anything new; Leo and Hunter were always arguing over something. Sometimes he found it hard to believe that it was actually Mike and Leo that were related, rather than the two hot-headed young boys.

He shook his head, suddenly wishing for a cigarette, or at least** something** to help relieve the tension in his body. Not that the Power would allow him to smoke. **That **particular little incident wasn't something he planned on repeating. "I don't see how you can keep up with them. Just **looking** at them makes me tired."

Mike laughed. "The Power helps." he admitted with a grin. "Not to mention I've been chasing after Leo pretty much since he was **born**."

There was a paniced yell and a shriek somewhere in the distance, and the White Ninjetti paled slightly. "E-excuse me, Sir." he managed, bolting off in a streak of white.

T.J. watched him in mild amusement. He certainly had his hands full with that team. It was good, to be honest. It was rare to see anyone so open and friendly anymore.

He headed towards the ration distribution area again, nodding slightly at the Green and Blue Quasar Rangers as he passed them. Chrin barely glanced up, only flashing an absent wave when Nickolas nudged him. He almost smiled at that, even as much as it made his heart ache at the familiarity. Chrin always had his head in some project or another.

The Quasar Rangers were a team no one had expected, and had yet to stop surprising them. It had started when they found Chrin; the former Blue Eltarian Ranger was all that remained of the Robot Rangers. The rest had been dismantled, leaving only their smaller teammate alive. The irony of Justin's robotic clone being the only survivor of his team wasn't lost on him. Shortly after they'd lost Luc, Nickolas had found them. He was the only survivor for the Cartock Rangers. Their other team members were even more shocking; just before Earth had been officially attacked, apparently two people had been rescued by the Dark Rangers. Instead of joining them however, they'd defected to the Light side. They grouped together with Chrin and Nickolas, and the four of them had somehow managed to track down another Power source: The Quasar Sabers of Miranoi.

"T.J." a voice greeted, sounding just as tired as he was.

He nodded to Nathan, not bothering to smile as it wouldn't be returned. Not that he could blame him. Who wanted to finally be reunited with their brother after years of separation, only to find out he was trying to take over the universe? It sounded like something out of a bad soap opera.

He'd gotten over the disturbing visual of Justin's twin a lot faster than he'd been able to get used to Chrin, but most of that was because unlike Chrin, Nathan was still growing. Now the Red Quasar Ranger was almost taller than he was, and more solidly built than his brother. He never smiled, though. While even Chrin still lit up, just a little, when he made a new invention or discovery, Nathan's face was worn and serious. He'd commented once that he'd never exactly had the nicest life to begin with, but Ashley had always been positive that learning about Zeus had finally broken his spirit. Secretly, T.J. agreed.

"Hi, guys." Her voice wasn't overly bright, but Penelope DeSantos still managed to smile at them both as they came to the ration table. Penelope was one of the few people that refused to let themselves be completely destroyed by the war. He'd always found that odd, considering that she was well known for her foresight. Even more odd, being that she was the Yellow Quasar Ranger. But then, he supposed that was more because they didn't have a Sabre for White. Almost as odd as seeing Chrin in Green; apparently the Quasar Power either wasn't Morphin Philosophy, or had to chose between Nickolas and Chrin for Blue, and Chrin lost.

He gave his head a slight shake. Definately more tired than he thought. His mind was wandering far too much.

"What garbage do we get today?" Nathan asked, raising an eyebrow.

She frowned at him, handing a plate of... T.J. didn't think he wanted to even try and identify it. "Just for that, I shouldn't give you anything." she retorted.

Nathan humphed, eyeing the tan pile of something skeptically. "You can't afford to not try and poison me."

She scowled as she served up another plate, pausing as T.J. reached for it. "Sir..." she began hesitantly.

He rolled his eyes. Whoever had gotten the younger Rangers into that habit needed to be punished. Severely. "Stop calling me sir, Penelope. I'm not any higher ranked than you are. We don't even **have **a ranking system." he reminded her, trying to keep his temper from making him snap at her. He really needed to find a place to crash after he finished trying to swallow this stuff.

"You shouldn't open it." she said softly, ignoring him.

He blinked, taking his plate. "What?"

She looked down, sadness written across her face. "When you get it, you shouldn't open it." she repeated. Then she turned her attention to the next person in line with a forced smile before he could question her, and he had no choice but to follow Nathan to a table.

He glanced around the tent as Nathan poked warily at his food with a plastic spork. In one corner he could see Cadet 84-he could never remember his full name-nearly comatose as he leaned on General 77. Poor kid; he was always sick from something or other, and always trying to hide it. The General had one arm wrapped around the younger boy, fingers slightly entangled in his hair. It was one of the few signs of kindness he ever showed, and only to Cadet 84. Lavender was at a table near them, yawning as she poked idly at the insides of a com unit with her free hand. That had been another surprise once upon a time. Sadly they had met the Purple Bavari Ranger long after Zhane's death, and had never been able to tell him that his little sister was still alive. Qero and Heryl, the Green and Blue Taeo Rangers, were involved in some sort of quiet discussion that had Qero waving his hands for emphasis at another table. A handful of civilians had grouped together here and there.

The sounds of a louder argument made him look up at the doorway. Ligel Lee Scott, Garrett Hillard, Hawk Oliver, Casey Lee Scott, and Siren had all wandered in at last. It was far past Casey's bedtime; she trailed after her older sister with half-closed eyes, gripping Ligel's hand tightly. Hawk and Garrett were the ones arguing, while Siren looked at them in amusement. War orphans, all of them but Ligel and Casey. No one was quite sure where Siren came from; her planet was long gone when they'd found the silver-haired, white-skinned child. The Rangers' children had adopted her almost immediately. The only thing missing from their usual group was Marinda Hammond. The six of them were constantly together, always looking out for one another. It hadn't escaped him how close they all were, or that they were already starting to show signs of Color Bonds. The thought of what that could mean, what it could lead to, absolutely terrified him.

"What's the news?"

He turned back to Nathan, blinking. "New updates on lost bases." he said after a moment. "Coms are down...but you already knew that."

The younger boy nodded, swallowing a sporkful with a grimace. "Chrin's taking it as some sort of personal attack, since he set up the system." He rolled his eyes. "He and Nickolas are determined to fix it."

He spared a slight smile for that, but it faded quickly. "Still no news on the Aquitian Rangers, either."

Nathan shook his head ruefully, looking slightly amused. "I'm never going to get used to them." he murmured.

That really did did make him smile. "You're not the only one." he assured him. It was hard for the younger Rangers to get over the shock of seeing both the original Earth team, and the 'Alien Rangers' that had once protected Earth, let alone resolve them as being the same people. Meeting your childhood heroes face to face and then being asked to fight with them was an eye-opening experience.

"Blue Astro Ranger, Sir!"

He rolled his eyes again, setting down his spork with a sigh. "We're not a military here, Randy. You don't need to call me sir."

"Yes, Sir." the boy returned. "Sir, a package arrived for you. It's been put in your tent."

He sighed, flashing Nathan a weary smile. "Back to work."

Nathan nodded. "Make sure to get some sleep before you fall over. We don't have any room in the med area."

He nodded back. It wasn't a joke; there were so many injured and sick these days they truly couldn't afford any more. That was one of the reasons why the Green Ignis Ranger had managed to convince his partner not to keep him there. There was simply not enough beds to take care of him.

He walked to his tent silently, nodding greetings to people he recognised. He dredged up attempts at smiles for children and civilians, not bothering for any Rangers he happened across. Not that there were many of them left, anyway. Four Aquitian Rangers on Hvaenal, three Astro, two Gold Star and two Silver Star stationed on what was left of Gannos, Yellow Kishnal on Lusrendurda, the four Quasar Rangers, five Taeo Rangers, three Bavari, two Ignis, and the seven Ninjetti. The remainder of thousands, on planets in galaxies he'd never been to. That was all that was left.

On bad days, it was a struggle to keep from breaking down into tears.

The package was waiting for him as expected. It was simply a box, tied with string, and set on the table on top of his maps. He went over, checking it swiftly for magic and explosives. It would have already been scanned before it even reached him, but it was better to be cautious. There was no sign of who it had come from, which made him even more suspicious. When he deemed it safe, he removed the lid.

The head of Jason Lee Scott stared back at him.

He stumbled back, whirling to throw up in a corner. He collapsed to his knees when he finished, dimly whiping his mouth. He was shaking, he realized distantly.

Jason was a good leader, and a good friend. When the war began, he had always treated T.J. as an equal despite his youth and Color, always valued and respected his opinions. He was kind, and cared so deeply it was obvious that the war was slowly tearing him apart. And yet somehow he still managed to hide it in the presence of his daughters, giving them the loving and caring father they deserved. He was a good man, and T.J. had always felt honored to count him among his friends.

He stood slowly, taking a quick swig of the leftover coffee to rinse out his mouth, and covered the box. He needed to find Chrin and Nickolas and get the coms working again **now**. The rest of The Rebellion had to be informed of the loss of the Aquitian Rangers. There was no time to grieve.

After all, there was a war going on.

Okay, before anyone gets the wrong idea, I have **nothing **against Damon. I chose the Lost Galaxy Rangers for the Ninjetti Rangers because for one, it's a team I actually know fairly well, and two, I can actually see them stranded on a planet without any civilization and being mostly okay with that. Damon on the other hand, I never could really identify with, and I really can't see him living on Phaedos.

I don't know why Kelsey's here. She just seemed like a good choice. And she fits in pretty well with the atmosphere. Kira, again I have no idea why. I was looking for a Black Ninjetti and she wouldn't leave me alone. I figured she's a musician, so hey, why not. Hunter strikes me as a good Green, and I can totally see him, Leo, and Kira driving each other insane. That's it.

I will be bringing them into the Fade to Darkness Trilogy, so never fear, you will see more of the insanity. That, and Kendrix won't be dead next time. Fair warning though, they're, uh...a little different from cannon. -Giggles nervously-


	4. Adam's Fate

For anyone who has ever played Legend of Zelda (I think it's Majora's Mask), the Nanthi are actually the blueish-white/green thing Link turns into when he's running around underwater. I've never played it myself, but I saw the picture and decided to use it.

Adam's Fate

He wandered the halls of the Dark Fortress in silence, his eyes staring blankly ahead. They fed him well here, as was ordered, but eating was mechanical when he couldn't taste the food. He still worked out regularly, so his muscules were in perfect shape. Not a single scar marred his skin, all healed the moment he came back from battle. It wouldn't do to mar his beauty, or so he was told.

His body was in better condition than ever, magically frozen in time at eighteen years old. He was dressed in the finest clothes to be found, all in shades of green and black. No one ever spoke harshly to him here, if they spoke at all. He was feared, isolated by what he had become.

A sex slave. That's all he was. He existed entirely for Diablo's amusement. He often found himself wishing that he would fall out of favor with him, that he would finally be cast aside and allowed to die. Death was the only desire he had left.

He knew he had been more than this once. That he had been a warrior for light, with friends and family. He had been wanted and needed for the person he was, not because of his face or how well he performed in bed.

Once.

Now he was nothing more than a puppet, following Diablo's orders. He fought when commanded, his mind pushing away the idea that some of his opponents, whatever uniform they wore now, used to be his friends. He returned to the Dark Fortress only when Diablo decided he'd had enough. And when Diablo wanted him, he served his master silently, solemnly.

He knew the Light Rangers thought he had forgotten who he was. The Yellow Ninja Ranger had often begged, pleaded with him, trying to make him 'remember' her. Just like so many others.

He thought he had been sad when she died. Killed in battle by a putty of all things, in a single moment of carelessness. At the very least she had died a warrior's death, the way she deserved.

He hadn't cried the night she died, even as his heart screamed in agony and loss. He had gone on as he was told, as though her death was meaningless to him. It wouldn't do for Diablo to see him upset.

It was only another small part of him that died with her, after all.

Spectra didn't look up from her window seat as he joined her. They rarely spoke to one another, and neither had bothered to decide if they met on purpose or not. It didn't really matter.

Spectra had finally managed to finally the invisibility that he craved. With Lady Tearrah's death, she had only been needed to remain as the Dark Yellow Ranger. She was called periodically to fight, but as long as she drew no attention to herself, she was left alone and forgotten. He hated her for that, jealousy for her status swelling to fill his very being.

Then her flat, dull green eyes turned up to meet his, and the jealousy faded again. He knew now what she had endured to reach that place he wanted. That her spirit had long been broken, and she didn't care. She was simply waiting for the day someone got in a lucky shot and granted her oblivion.

"There will be a battle soon." Her soft voice suddenly interrupting the silence startled him, but he didn't show it. She continued, his response unnecessary. "They are restless."

She never called any of the Dark Rangers by name. It was always 'they', or 'Master'. He wondered, but never asked why.

He nodded in agreement. Diablo had been complaining about being being bored, and Zeus had stalked by him several times in a foul mood. More than once he'd almost raised a hand to him, but stopped. The one and only time Zeus had struck him, Diablo had nearly torn out his throat. He wished he would just let him hit him. It would be nice.

"Where?" His throat was dry, his voice raspy. He could have gone to have it taken care of, but he didn't want to. It was refreshing to feel pain when he tried to speak.

"Earth." She shrugged slightly. "They're trying to gain ground toward the main base of The Rebellion."

"Oh."

They fell silent again, watching the stars silently. As a child, he remembered being fascinated by the stars. They were amazing and unknown, and he had always wanted to know more about them. Now that he finally did, he wondered how something that housed such evil could look so beautiful.

"Acheron."

He turned to look up at Diablo. His master was frowning at them. After a moment, Diablo held out a hand. He stood and kissed the back as he took it. Diablo yanked him closer to wrap an arm around his waist as he was lead away. Neither said anything to Spectra; Diablo too annoyed by her presence, and he himself unwilling to bring her more trouble.

He realized after a moment that it didn't matter, as Diablo waved a hand at a group of Nanthi when they passed. The Nanthi had been a simple aquatic race once, now enslaved and bound by magic and loyalty to Diablo. The blades along their wrists, upper arms, and heads for swimming made them some of the deadliest creatures in the war. The group gave a quick, short bow, and hurried away.

An agonized scream echoed through the halls a few moments later.

He remainded silent when they finally entered their quarters. He was slammed against a wall as the door closed behind them, pinned in place with a hand. "What the hell were you doing with Spectra?" Diablo demanded.

"Stargazing."

His eyes narrowed. "I want you to stay away from her."

He knew he wouldn't be able to, but he answered with what he'd want to hear. "As you wish, Master."

There was a long moment of silence as Diablo stared at him. At last he dropped his hand, turning away. "We'll be going to Earth soon." he said finally. "Be ready to fight in an hour."

"Yes, Master."

Diablo's shoulders tensed. "I've told you not to call me that."

He remained silent.

"Do you hate me?"

The question really wasn't unexpected. He might have lied if he could, but Astronema had cursed him to say only the truth when they'd made him one of them. For a brief second a memory surfaced; the chair, dark energy running into his body as he screamed in agony, and Diablo holding his hand, promising it would be worth it when they finished as the villian wiped away tears he couldn't stop.

"Yes."

Diablo didn't move. "Do you love me?" he asked after a moment.

He moved forward, wrapping his arms around the other man as he leaned his head against his shoulder. "Yes." he said softly, hating himself all the more.

"Why do you stay? I wouldn't stop you if you left." It was a lie, and they both knew it. Diablo would never let him go.

Just as they both knew he would never leave. "Because I never want you to feel how Adam did when Rocky died."

He wasn't Adam, not anymore. They'd called him reborn when they finished the transformation, and named him Acheron-the river of woe that flowed through Hell in Greek Mythology. Adam would have cared about his friends, might have even left to join The Rebellion and fight with them against the forces of evil. Acheron would never abandon Diablo; they were bound to one another. And while he hated him with every fiber of his being for what he was and what he had done, the part of him he shared with what was once Adam could never leave the person Rocky had become.

Diablo turned, taking one of his hands and kissing it gently. Red eyes stared at him, and he willingly tilted his head for the kiss he knew was coming. And when it did, he melted into the touch, letting Diablo's hands pull him towards the bed.

It wasn't rape if you were willing.


End file.
